I Can't Take It
by twenty1down
Summary: Brennan takes leave, unable to stand watching Booth's happiness. Will he be able to save their partnership? B&B one shot. Re-post.


**Hello! I went back and changed some things in this one-shot. Nothing dramatic, just a little dusting off. Feel free to let me know what you think! In fact, I will blatantly ask for your opinions. What are your opinions? :D Enjoy!**

"Bones!" he pounded on the door of her apartment. "Open up!"

"It is open." She called from the inside.

Booth pushed his way through her door to find his partner curled up on her couch. There was no music, no laptop in front of her, no glass of wine. Brennan was sitting alone in her almost dark apartment. He could see the tear marks running down her cheeks in the dim light.

"What's wrong?"

He walked over to sit next to her. At his presence, Brennan flinched and moved away, hoping he wouldn't notice. He did.

"Bones. Talk to me. Please?"

"No, it's nothing Booth. You should be at home, with Hannah."

Booth caught the catch in her voice when she said his girlfriend's name. "This is about Hannah?"

"No. Just…just leave Booth. It's not your problem."

"Bones, you're my partner. You can talk to me. Please, I can't stand to see you like this." He moved slightly closer to put his hand on her back. His touch brought on another bought of sobs as she broke down in front of him.

It broke his heart it see her like this. He wanted so badly to help, but she wouldn't tell him. She didn't tell him very much anymore anyway. He figured he lost that privilege when he started spending all of his time with Hannah.

"Bones, please…" he begged.

She sucked in a sharp breath, attempting to control her tears. "I can't handle it anymore. It's just too hard." She stopped.

Booth wanted to speak, but she continued. "You were everything to me. My constant. I needed you." Her tears seemed to fall from her blue-grey eyes even faster. "I don't believe in fate, or destiny, but I started to believe that we were…that we were meant to be. We were so _good_ together. And now…now it's just gone."

"Bones." He whispered.

"You were always there for me, even when I didn't know I needed you. For the first time in a long time, I was sure someone actually cared for me. We had it all Booth, and then…you…the gamble. Of course I wanted to be with you. I loved you. But I was scared. So I went to Maluku."

"I don't have many regrets, Booth." She paused to for emphasis. "I regret going to Maluku. But I finally figured out what was happening, what I felt for you, and we came back, and you had…. I know you'd never do it on purpose, but I feel like you're mocking me. That you were able to move on and be happy. I know I made a mistake. It haunts me everyday, and there is no relief in my dreams, but seeing you two together, it's heartbreaking. And I don't think I can take it anymore."

"What are you saying Bones?"

"I…I can't see you everyday, and still pretend to be happy. I'm not happy. I'm miserable. And the only remedy I can see is if I don't have to deal with seeing you all the time. And remembering. It's just…are you really going to make me say it?"

It took Booth an honest moment to comprehend what she was trying to tell them. And when he did, his heart sank. She wanted to end their partnership? How could she do that to him? He needed her. Of course, it didn't seem like that anymore. Looking back, he had all but abandoned her. _Damn it. _Was he supposed to just break up with Hannah and go to Bones? He would always love her, always, but she broke his heart. And Hannah was there to mend it and she loved him like he wanted, needed, to be loved. He couldn't just leave her after that.

But what about his Bones? He wasn't sure he could live his life without her.

"I apologize. I didn't mean to tell you that. I had a moment of weakness." While wrapped up in his thoughts, Brennan had rebuilt her walls. But he could see they were threatening to crumble already. She was on the verge of tears yet again, and her eyes were filled with pain. "You should go now. You won't have to deal with me again."

She stood, leaving Booth alone in her living room, as she made her way to her bedroom. She shut the door behind her, trusting that Booth would let himself out. After curling up in the blankets on her bed, she let the tears fall from her eyes once more. A few moments later, she heard her front door close.

The sound of her partner, ex-partner, leaving for the last time, threatened to send her into a hysterical fit. She had never wanted to end their partnership, it was the last thing she thought she'd ever do. But seeing him everyday, happy, without her, was just too much to handle.

She hadn't placed much credence in emotions, but now she acknowledged they existed. And they hurt.

She drifted off to sleep not much longer, her dreams torturing her of what could have been.

Brennan woke the next morning to the rising sun spilling into her bedroom. She remembered her dream and the conversation she had with Booth and she wanted to cry. But she couldn't. She had done too much crying lately. Now was a time to be getting on with her life.

Not moving on. She could never move on like Booth did. But she could get away. She set to packing a suitcase, preparing to leave as soon as possible. Even in her own home, she couldn't escape the memories of them. Without leaving her bedroom, she managed to be completely ready to abandon her life in Washington D.C.

And that's what she prepared to do as she stepped into her living room. She walked through her home, her eyes falling on the pictures of them and their team, of Brainy Smurf and Jasper.

A lone tear ran down her cheek before she frustratingly wiped it away.

She unlocked the door. A hand on the door knob, she let out a sigh. She didn't want to leave, but it was best, for her.

She walked out of her apartment, re-locking it behind her. The sight in front of her made her want to scream.

There, just to the side of her door, was her sleeping partner. She was tempted to leave him there. He had no claim to her anymore, but she just couldn't.

She knelt down next to him and gently nudged him awake. His eyes fluttered open and immediately met hers. "Bones!" He reached over and pulled her close to him, his arms wrapping around her tightly.

Brennan's no crying resolve was slowly fading as she felt his arms around her. She would miss this comfort she found in him. She tried to push him away, but when he was to far away to hug her any longer, he took her hands in his.

"What are you doing here Booth?"

"Where are you going?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"I came to fix things. I locked the door, then came back without a key. Now, where are you going?"

"I told you, I can't take it anymore. I meant it. I can't be here." She stood, pulling her hands from his. As she walked away, she heard Booth stand and chase after her. She stopped when she felt his hand on her arm.

"Bones, please don't leave."

"I can't stay here. It's to much."

"Listen to me. " He waited until Brennan locked eyes with his. He saw how tired she really was. She was exhausted emotionally, and he hadn't seen it. "I know I've been a lousy friend and partner, and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I don't want you to leave. I don't know what I'd do without you-"

"I can't take it. You and Hannah-"

"Me and Hannah are over. I'd rather lose her than you any day. You're the one I'm going to worry about, the one I'm going to lose sleep over. I can't just let you go. You, and Parker, are the most important parts of my life. I'm so sorry I didn't see it earlier, I was just really hurt, but that's no excuse. I love you Bones, I'll always love you. I'm sorry if I ever made you doubt that. Please just don't leave. I'll spend the rest of my life proving to you I'll always love you if that's what it takes. I just…I can't lose you."

She watched as a tear slipped down Booth cheek. She wanted to be furious. She wanted to scream at him that he broke her heart, but she knew that she broke his too. She almost felt that she deserved it. But in listening to Booth's confession, she also felt hope. Hope that maybe she wouldn't be so sad anymore. Hope that maybe her life could be good again. Hope that she could have Booth back.

She turned around and threw herself into him. His arms wrapped around her immediately. She felt that comfort yet again.

He tightened his grip on her, wanting to tell her he'd never let go again. He felt her drop her suitcase and wrap her arms around him, pulling them impossibly closer.

Brennan cried into his shoulder as he whispered in her ear. "I'm so sorry. I love you so much Bones."

"I love you too."

**This was based loosely off "Happy Ending" by Avril Lavigne. Of course, this one does have a happy ending. :) But it was more so written after I saw a video of Booth and Brennan with the song. **


End file.
